Framed?

February 15, 2013

So this is the thing. Since Rodger’s acute observation on my Three in one plus one post that the three bikes had the same frame, I have magically become a frame expert. And my newly expert eyes tell me this North Fitzroy-residing Custom Built Parade has the same frame as a the Graecross, the Malvern Star and the made in Japan Centurian featured in said post.

What does it mean? Was there a shopper bike frame racket in the 70s with dodgy dealers peddling (or should that be pedalling) so-called unique bikes, which were in fact some homogenous take-over-the world, one-size-fits-all (well that bit’s true) designs? And look at that chain guard? Regular readers will know I am a chain-guard tragic, my expert eye in this matter is well honed, not some Johnny Come Lately like my frame expertise, and that expert eye says I’VE SEEN THAT CHAIN GUARD BEFORE. And yet, I have never seen a Custom Built Parade…

made in South Australia no less.

I’m shocked. The bottom of my bike spotting world has fallen out.

It’s like I just found out that the dude from the Sopranos wasn’t actually in the garbage collection business.

Have I been photographing the same bike over and over?

Has the small wheeled bike loving fraternity been sniggering at me behind my back all the time?

Should I even bother to go on or is this the last calling card I leave?

The answer to this and all those other questions will be revealed in the fullness of time (as opposed to the emptiness of time…which is probably a concept only Stephen Hawkins could wrap his head around)…stay tuned.

yep, they sure don’t make ’em like they used to…But wait! don’t you still have that Raleigh shopper? That’s how I stumbled upon your blog – (TRAGIC I know, trawling the net for mentions of shopper bikes…I should get out more). Please say you still have it.

oh that’s good. and yes they are adorable but hard going on the thighs compared to big wheels (not that I said that out loud) especially for those of us with a 4 in the beginning of our age. I mainly ride mine when I only have a short way to go, up to about 4 kilometres each way, which I like because apart from the pleasure of being on my very gorgeous upright green bike, I am getting more exercise per kilometre.

Folding Cyclists
A site dedicated to folding bikes – this links to their photo gallery which has some delicious retro folders, and at least one exquisite contemporary one called Rad Concept.

My NS22
One man’s journey into restoring a NS22 Peugot (folder). This guy really has the folding Peugoet bug; if you want to know how many spokes it has, this is your site.

Small Wheeled Bikes by Tony Hadland (UK)
A feast of articles about small wheeled bikes that includes a brief yet strangely comprehensive history of the Raleigh Twenty, in all its incarnations, including the Stowaway.

The Raleigh Twenty
An absolute must site for any one who rides or admires the Raleigh Twenty. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how many of you there are out there.

Vetti live in Northcote
Nothing to do with bikes: everything to do with seeing the gorgeous things around us, she has a keen eye, especially for little street art gems and serendipidous bits of beauty in the ordinary. Have a squizz: you won’t regret it.